


A Faithful Friend is More Than Gold

by Izavel9210



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Action, Action/Adventure, Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Attempt at Humor, Cries in not fluent in tagging, F/F, Fluff, Friendship/Love, How Do I Tag, Humor, Inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, Its only a little, Nah Just Kidding, Romance, a dash of angst, wait is this too much angst, yall are strong you guys can handle it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:08:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25095886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Izavel9210/pseuds/Izavel9210
Summary: Legend has it that deep in the Forbidden Forest, past the monsters and the foliage, there is a mythical "Lost Chest" with four treasures, fated to belong to a group of the greatest adventurers in history. These four humans have their blatant differences and a long way to go, but you can't help but admit that they are the greatest adventurers in the era. They'll certainly be able to get to those artifacts... right?ORAlternatively, the humorous DnD-inspired adventure AU of the four founders that literally not one single person asked for (im so sorry).ORIn which Rowena is a book-loving duelist, Helga a helpful mage, Salazar an exasperated dark sorcerer, and Godric is a dumbass swordsman.
Relationships: Godric Gryffindor & Helga Hufflepuff & Rowena Ravenclaw & Salazar Slytherin, Godric Gryffindor/Salazar Slytherin if you squint, Helga Hufflepuff/Rowena Ravenclaw
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	A Faithful Friend is More Than Gold

**Author's Note:**

> In which Godric has some convincing to do.

The pub’s lively chatter filled the air with a comfortable hum, the smell of meat and buttery pastry mixing with melted wax and ale only adding to the warm atmosphere. The dripping candles created a warm glow that was much appreciated by the patrons of said pub. Everyone else in the inn was having a rather nice time, laughing and enjoying each other’s company, except for three skeptical, silent friends at a table of four.

“No.” Was Salazar’s simple reply.

“What? Why? It’ll be fun.” Godric whined, giving the man a large pout. 

“Unlike you, some of us have work to do. We can’t just spend a week gallivanting around forests like we’re teenagers again.” Rowena added, keeping her nose in yet another expensive-looking book, the leather cover polished with a tawny gold. 

“What do you mean, unlike me? I do work!” Came Godric’s annoyed tone.

“No, you don’t.” Salazar sneered, rolling his eyes at Godric.

“Then what was that last week, doing my laundry?” 

“That was you puking from the smell of your own socks, and ordering a maid to wash your clothes.” 

Godric blanched.

“Okay, fine, whatever! Still, it’s been ages since we got together and did something.” 

“You have a point, but it’s been years since we last got together in person. We all have responsibilities now. It took us a month of planning just to make sure that all of us were here today.” She said, eyeing Rowena. The dark-haired woman deliberately paid no attention to Helga.

“I-I…” He faltered, thinking hard for a moment.  _ What would make all of them say yes? _

“I wanted us to find the Lost Chest together.” He added, looking down and giving shy glances to Salazar and Rowena. 

That got Salazar up and running, while the dark-haired woman quickly shut her book, staring at Godric intensely.

“For real?” He said, raising an eyebrow at Godric.

“I thought that was just a myth.” Said Helga.

“You better not be kidding, Gryffindor.” Rowena hissed.

“I’m not, I’m not!” Godric (if he was being honest with himself) was rather scared of the expert duelist. Not even his armor could save him from Ravenclaw’s wrath.

“You do realize that all of the people who’ve gone into the Forbidden Forest haven’t ever come out?” Salazar frowned.

“Well, most. Not all.” Rowena said. Salazar rolled his eyes and continued.

“It’s incredibly dangerous, anyway. Not to mention,” He nodded towards Helga. “That it’s been a children’s tale for centuries. How do you even know it’ll be a real thing?”

“I trust my gut. And you all know that my instinct has never, ever been wrong.” The redhead argued.

“There’s a first time for everything.” Rowena countered.

“Look, please! Just do me this one favor. I just want to go and find it. If we search for a week in the Forbidden Forest and it doesn’t appear, you all can go on with the rest of your lives and you will never see me again.” Godric pleaded, looking at them all with his best puppy eyes.

A slow, silent second passed. Then two. Then thre-

“Oh, alright. Fine.  _ One week _ of searching in the forest. And then you never bother me again.” Salazar sighed, rubbing his temples.

Godric pumped his fist in excitement.  _ One down, two to go! _

“I suppose I’ll join as well. You two wouldn’t last a day alone with each other, butting heads at every little thing you come across.” Helga said, exasperated but still happy to be spending time with each other again.

Godric grinned widely, looking at Rowena across the table. 

She stared back.

“What?”

Godric only kept staring, giving her a pout and more puppy eyes because when ‘when you look as good as I do, a pout and puppy eyes will get you everything.’

Rowena was quiet for a few long seconds, her cerulean gaze flitting from Helga to Godric to Salazar and then back to Helga again, holding her amber ones for a moment too long, as if they were having a silent conversation _ (spoiler alert, they were). _

_ ‘I don’t want to go.’ _ Rowena gave Helga a look.

_ ‘It’s going to be fine.’ _

Rowena frowned.

_ ‘I have work to do.’ _

_ ‘It will still be there when we get back.’ _

_ ‘I have a responsibility to my family, Helga.’ _

_ ‘But didn’t we used to be your family too?’ _

Rowena was silent for a few more moments, gritting her teeth and clenching her jaw like she always did when she was irritated.

_ ‘Right… anything for family.’ _

“Okay. One week. On the condition that I get to bring whatever I want,” She hissed finally, poking a finger in Godric’s direction. “And you have to carry my things.  _ All of it _ . Through the entire journey.”

He nodded quickly.

“Done.”

“I guess that settles it, then. We can meet up in two days near Eldritch Road, and then make our way to the Forest from there.” Helga grinned at them.

“Wait. Now that I think about it, isn’t the Forbidden Forest ten days to get there and back on foot? How are we supposed to spend just a week adventuring?” Rowena asked.

“We’re not. We’re spending a week in the forest, and then ten days on the journey to and from.” Godric said proudly. 

There was a collective groan from Salazar and Rowena.

XXX

**_(Two days later)_ **

The day was upon them, a cold wind and a warm sun smiling down at the friends who were standing by Eldritch Road. Godric had arrived first covered with gold-plated armor, red leather padding sticking out from under the heavy metal. The metal was engraved with carvings of his home village, the town blacksmith and silversmith working for months just on that suit of armor for him to wear. Godric always wore it on his quests, and it had never failed him yet. He had his trusty two-handed sword strapped to his back, the gold hilt and bright blade gleaming with the armor in the sun. The red in his hair never looked more fiery, his green eyes daring the travelers to anger the two. It was almost blinding to look at him. 

Helga, on the other hand, was more practically dressed, with a simple yellow linen t-shirt and a black whale-bone corset and yellow-stitched skirt. Over it was a long, woolen yellow coat with wide sleeves and black lining that reached the floor, a belt holding the coat in place with a wooden staff carefully tied to the belt, holding it in place. Thick-soled black boots crept up to her thighs, tied neatly with yellow laces. Her brown hair was in a simply braided bun, tied with a strong twine-like ribbon that would surely keep it out of her line of sight.

Rowena arrived later, with a bluesteel rapier with an expertly engraved hilt strapped to her left hip in a belt, her pants made of silver leather. Her right leg was in ornate silver shin guards, and on her left a brown boot that reached just under her knee. She was wearing a royal blue vest, patterns in silver where the neckline met the buttons, polished chains connecting said buttons. Under the vest was a simple linen dress shirt, her right hand adorned with a silver duelist’s glove. A matching, wide-brimmed blue hat with two large grey feathers was on her hair, obscuring most of her face in shadows. A blue cape fluttered gently in the wind behind her, placed onto the left side of her vest in a steel-capped pin engraved with the ravenclaw house crest.

Salazar came last, the sun high in the sky as he trudged on the path to Eldritch Road. The sorcerer regretted wearing this much black in the hot sun, but he was willing to sweat a little for the aesthetic that came with being a dark magician. He wasn’t just that guy at a party, known just for being entertaining. He was powerful, a dark sorcerer, a reputable caster with renown for inventing several spells. Not only that, he was the oldest of the friend group-and was only in his mid-twenties. His attire was rather simple, just a dark green hooded robe with silver crests and linings. However, when you looked closer, you’d see the magic flowing in the green threads, giving off a dark shimmer and an aura that said, “don’t mess with me.”

“How gloomy you’re dressing today,” Godric remarked at Salazar’s appearance. The sorcerer literally couldn’t care less right now-a little bit of sweat was turning into a possible heatstroke. He turned to give Rowena a glance. “How expensive and extra.” He turned again to look at Helga, opening his mouth to say something-then hesitating. “How… Well actually, I’ve got nothing on you. You’re dressed rather nicely for this journey.” He concluded, furrowing his brow.

Helga gave him a grin, and Rowena rolled her eyes as she turned around to retrieve three sacks of her things, presumably. She shoved the bags onto the ground near Godric’s feet. 

“Pick it up and let’s get moving. We don’t have all day.” She said coldly, taking a small knapsack of her books and walking forward.

Godric picked up two of the three sacks, placing it onto his belt with ease. The other sack, however, was much heavier, as if it had been filled with rocks instead of bread or clothing. He put it on his belt anyway, feeling the metal droop dangerously to one side as he stumbled along Eldritch Road. 

XXX

**_(Four hours later)_ **

The sun was getting close to evening, painting the sky orange-y purple. Dark clouds mottled the sky, and a few stars were beginning to appear in the woodsy road. The bag seemed to be getting heavier and heavier on Godric’s belt. Just what was in that sack?

Confused, he dropped and opened the sack. Inside was none other than river stones, weighing the bag down.

“Hey!” He called after Rowena, who (with the others) was already quickly disappearing from his line of sight. He grabbed the sack and with a great heave, began to run after them.

“Wait… Wait up!” He panted as he stumbled up to his friends, dropping the river stones. He tapped Rowena on the shoulder. She huffed and swiveled on her heel to meet his glare with one of her own. 

“What?” She snapped.

“What do you mean, ‘what’? What gives? This is a bag,” He pointed accusingly at said sack. “A bag of stones. Why? What do we need them for?” 

Salazar let out a quiet snicker as Helga looked at Rowena incredulously. 

“You put  _ what _ into your bags?” The brunette hissed, looking at the duelist.

“He was being annoying!” Rowena defended, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Hey, I’m not annoying! And you still haven’t answered my question. Why do we need these stones?” Asked Godric. Salazar couldn’t contain a short laugh at that.

Rowena stared at him for a moment before responding.

“Gryffindor, you stupid doorknob…” She mumbled quietly.

Helga gave the duelist an exasperated look before turning to the redhead with a tired frown.

“Leave the stones, Godric. We don’t need them. Rowena is just being salty again.” She said, a dark look in her amber orbs.

A gasp came from the dark-haired girl.

“I am not salty! I’m just giving him what he deserves for making me go on this trip!” She argued.

“Oh, yes you are! You are melodramatic, extra, and just as immature as Godric can be!” Helga yelled, poking a finger on the taller girl’s forehead. She stepped back a bit, surprised at the sudden aggressive contact.

_ I’m right here, you know. _ Godric grumbled to himself.

“Excuse me? How dare you compare me to Godric? Who do you take me for?”   
  


“Oh, I’m sorry, perhaps I missed the day that you stopped being a spoiled brat and started to own your mistakes instead of being a prideful bitch!” 

A silence ensued, and Salazar wondered what was for dinner as Godric started to panic, seeing the two women at each other’s throats.

“I’ve no desire to fight anymore.” Rowena whispered coldly, taking a sack from Godric and removing a sleeping bag from it. 

“Oh yeah, run away like you always do. Like you did four years ago.” Helga’s voice died in her throat, angrily getting her own blanket out as far away from Rowena as possible.

“Um, what happened four years ago?” Came Godric’s tentative question. Salazar shook his head at him as the women snapped in unison, “None of your business.” 

Godric gave the man in green a look, both of fright and confusion.

“It’s unresolved tension. Just sleep.” Salazar said, missing his dinner greatly, but since the “cook” of the group was angry…

“I don’t know what happened.” Godric said quietly, chewing on his upper lip.

“Me neither. I bet they do. But it’s not our problem to solve.” Salazar muttered, stretching and settling on the floor as Godric rolled out sleeping bags for the two of them.

“I hope tomorrow will be better.” Said Godric, giving a final glance at the girls.

“Hope. What a fickle thing.” Salazar mumbled quietly before turning away from Godric and settling into sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Kinda wrote the first scene on a whim when I was thinking about an original work of mine, and then I kept thinking as it turned into something more than just a few lines. Next chapter will probably explain Helga and Rowena's situation better, from Rowena's perspective. I'm keeping the story fresh as possible by switching POVS. Hope you liked this chapter! (sorry if Salazar is a bit ooc, but I'm having trouble fitting his older, more manipulative personality into a younger, more aloof version of him).
> 
> *coughs in is looking for a beta, anyone interested?*


End file.
